The points of issue
Doubleday first edition, copyright 1978, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page per Doubleday practice (statement present only on the first printing). Octavo, 201 pages, publisher's orange boards with black cloth spine. First-state dust jacket carries the original printed price, unclipped. Williams's scarce second novel; it had no second printing and went out of print until the 2008 reissue.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday hardcover (1978) is the true first. The 2008 Fairy Tale Review Press 30th-anniversary edition, with a foreword by Rick Moody, is a first-thus reissue.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Doubleday club editions show the rear-board blind stamp and lack the printed jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Changeling a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Doubleday first edition, copyright 1978, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page per Doubleday practice (statement present only on the first printing). Octavo, 201 pages, publisher's orange boards with black cloth spine. First-state dust jacket carries the original printed price, unclipped. Williams's scarce second novel; it had no second printing and went out of print until the 2008 reissue.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Doubleday hardcover (1978) is the true first. The 2008 Fairy Tale Review Press 30th-anniversary edition, with a foreword by Rick Moody, is a first-thus reissue.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Doubleday club editions show the rear-board blind stamp and lack the printed jacket price.
I have a first edition of The Changeling — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.